


A Boyfriend Is for Life, Not Just for Christmas

by Misterdevere



Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: Boxing Day, Christmas Fluff, Declarations Of Love, Harry Hart is a Little Shit, Idiots in Love, M/M, Mutual Pining, POV Alternating, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:40:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28203264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Misterdevere/pseuds/Misterdevere
Summary: A phone call answered in error brings Eggsy some last minute Boxing Day plans and a confession he never expected.
Relationships: Merlin/Gary "Eggsy" Unwin
Comments: 8
Kudos: 48
Collections: Kingsman: The Secret Santa 2020





	A Boyfriend Is for Life, Not Just for Christmas

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sorryallonsy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sorryallonsy/gifts).



> For the Discord Kingsman Writer's Guild Secret Santa, where my prompt was Boxing Day.
> 
> Merry Christmas! :)

Eggsy groaned as he answered the phone. He’d already declined the call twice and yet there is was buzzing again. He didn’t bother to open his eyes as he brought it to his ear and answered croakily. “Hello?”

There was a pause on the other end, and then the caller, very confused. “Hamish?”

Eggsy’s eyes flew open in horror to see Merlin’s phone in his hand and Harry’s name on the screen and he hastily hung up. After a moment frozen in internal panic, he dropped the phone back on the bedside table and shook Merlin awake. “Oi, wake up. I just answered your phone.”

“Go away. I’m sleeping.” Eggsy shoved him once more and Merlin dragged his arm from over his eyes to look at him. “What?”

“Harry just called. I picked up your phone.”

Merlin groaned. “Nooo, why would you do that? He’ll have a million questions now. I’m too hungover for questions.”

“It was an accident. I thought it was mine.” Merlin grumbled and Eggsy tucked himself back under the cover. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine. I’ll deal with it.” He reached over Eggsy to grab his phone and called Harry back. “Harry, it’s 8am on a bank holiday. You’d better have a good reason for calling me.”

“Good morning, Hamish. Who are you with?”

“No one.”

“Who answered your phone?”

“I did. You woke me up, my voice was still half asleep.”

“Then why did you hang up?”

“It was an accident.”

Harry paused on the other end of the line again. “Was it Eggsy?”

“Of course not. Why on earth would Eggsy be answering my phone?”

“Please, Hamish. You think I don’t recognise his voice? Did he spend the night with you?”

“That’s none of your business.” Harry hummed, clearly amused. “How long has this been going on?”

“Did you actually want something?”

“Yes. I wanted to let you know that we’ll be expecting you at my mother’s at 1 o’clock. Bring Eggsy along.”

“I’m not bringing him.”

“Nonsense. Invite him along, don’t be so rude.”

“I’m not inviting-“

“See you at 1!”

Merlin barely had a chance to put his phone down before Eggsy’s buzzed with a text. _My mother hosts Boxing Day every year, the more the merrier. Come along, Hamish has the details :)_

“I guess this is what you’re not bringing me to.”

“You can come if you want to. You’ve got a proper invitation and everything.”

“But you don’t want me to.” Merlin just shrugged, pressing his face into his pillow. “You could’ve told him it was me.”

“And have him ask even more questions? Look how pleased he already is with himself, using emojis. I thought you wanted to keep this between us for now anyway.”

“Well. Yeah, I did.” Merlin leant over to kiss him, tongue still laced with whisky, and Eggsy happily returned it. Well, not happily. He’d be a lot happier if his…boyfriend?…didn’t seem quite so against the idea of being seen with him. So not quite happily but willingly. He accepted one kiss after another after another until Merlin lay back on his pillow. Eggsy lay back down too, facing Merlin with his bottom lip caught between his teeth.

“I don’t not want you to come. I just don’t want our…relationship to be the talk of Harry’s whole family. You should come if you want to.” Eggsy nodded slowly and Merlin groaned as he squeezed his eyes shut. “Why did we drink so much?”

“You’re the one that kept going,” Eggsy snickered softly. He’d spent Christmas Day with his mum and Daisy, then headed to Merlin’s for a nightcap. In the festive spirit, Merlin had kept pouring drinks and Eggsy didn’t turn them down. The pounding of their heads was making them regret it now, though.

“I know. Next time, stop me.” Merlin lifted the covers a little, peeking at both their naked bodies. “That was a nice way to end the night, though.”

“Yes, it was.” Eggsy grinned against Merlin’s lips as he kissed him again. “What time have we gotta get up?”

“Mm, probably about 11. Half past at a push.”

“Then how about we take a couple of painkillers, go back to sleep for a couple of hours and we could have a repeat performance before we go.”

* * *

It was soft lips against the inside of his thigh and firm hands on his hips that woke Merlin the second time. He hummed contentedly. “Well that’s a nicer wakeup call.” He lifted the covered and peered down at Eggsy. “Having fun down there?”

“Yep.” He seemed to be enjoying himself very much if the time he look to take Merlin apart was anything to go by. And of course he returned the favour, it would be rude not to. And it if meant having to share a shower to make sure they were on time, it was hardly a downside

* * *

“Hamish!” Harry’s mother grabbed him by the shoulders and kissed both cheeks. She’d been occupied with other guests when they arrived but had soon heard whispers of the gorgeous young man on Hamish’s arm. “Who’s this lovely young man you’ve brought with you?”

“It’s lovely to see you too, Barbara.” She tutted at his wry tone and raised her eyebrows, still waiting for an introduction. Merlin mostly ignored her. “Eggsy, this is Harry’s mother, Barbara. Barbara, this is Eggsy.”

He watched as they greeted each other and got to know each other a little bit. It was often Eggsy’s job to get along with people despite any nerves so that was nothing new to see, but Merlin knew when he was faking it. And he knew when it was real. And he doubted he’d ever fail to be charmed by it when it was. He was almost too distracted to realise Barbara was talking to him again. “It’s nice to see you’ve found love after all these years.”

He’d been waiting a long time but he had indeed. He hadn’t quite worked up the courage to tell Eggsy that yet, he wasn’t sure Eggsy was as serious about all this as he was, and he wasn’t about to do it in front of Harry’s mother. He looked at Eggsy, who stared back at him wide-eyed, and took that to mean it was the right decision. He smiled politely at the old woman. “Something like that.”

“Hamish!” The woman Harry had already pointed out as his mother grabbed Merlin by the shoulders and kissed both cheeks. It was strange to see someone approach him so openly and affectionately. Nothing like the stony-faced conversations with other agents that seemed to make up most of Merlin’s interactions. “Who’s this lovely young man you’ve brought with you?”

“It’s lovely to see you too, Barbara.” She tutted at him and Merlin’s lips twitched into an amused little smile. “Eggsy, this is Harry’s mother, Barbara. Barbara, this is Eggsy.”

They greeted each other, Eggsy more nervous than he expected to be to meet her but she was warm and friendly. He could see why Merlin seemed to get on so well with her. With pleasantries done, she turned back to Merlin. “It’s nice to see you’ve found love after all these years.”

Eggsy’s heart started to pound in his chest. They’d not talked about that yet, he had no idea if Merlin felt that way about him. He’d found love himself, he was fairly sure, but whether Merlin could say the same, he just didn’t know. Merlin looked at him for a second then gave the old woman a tight, polite smile. “Something like that.”

* * *

Harry’s father greeted them both with firm but warm handshakes and barely allowed introductions before giving Merlin a knowing look. “So, how long have you been courting? Have you known each other long?”

“Courting, Henry? Honestly.” Merlin was thankful he wasn’t the type to blush. Courting sounded so old-fashioned but even to say they were dating…it sounded so official. Official, they most certainly were not, more’s the pity.

“We’ve known each other for a couple of years, we work together. We’ve been together for...four or five months?”

“Excuse me?”

Merlin rolled his eyes at Harry’s wounded tone. Always so dramatic. “Oh be quiet, Harry. You don’t need to know everything.”

Henry chuckled at their bickering. They’d squabbled like brothers for the best part of thirty five years and Merlin was sure it must be amusing to Harry’s parents to see them still at it even nearing sixty. “Oh, it must be getting quite serious.”

“Uh…I,” Eggsy started to stutter over his words, a look of pure alarm on his face. “Well-“

He’d have liked to think so but clearly the idea terrified Eggsy. Perhaps they could talk about it later; it would do no good to air their dirty laundry in public. “Oh, I don’t know about that. Still fairly early days, isn’t it?”

He’d been just as nervous to meet Harry’s father but the man was just as welcoming as his wife. As he started to question Merlin, he could see exactly where Harry got his mischievous looks from. “So, how long have you been courting? Have you known each other long?”

“Courting, Henry? Honestly.”

He hoped it was the wording rather than the sentiment that Merlin seemed to find so laughable. Either way, he chose to answer the question — where Merlin apparently wouldn’t — rather than dwell on it. “We’ve known each other for a couple of years, we work together. We’ve been together for...four or five months?”

“Excuse me?” It hadn’t quite occurred to him before he spoke that they might not want Harry to know that right that second. It hadn’t occurred to him either that saying they were together might not be quite the right way to put it. Maybe they should’ve talked about this before they arrived. Thankfully Merlin saved him from having to address Harry’s outrage.

“Oh be quiet, Harry. You don’t need to know everything.”

Henry chuckled but seemed no less committed to his line of inquiry. “Oh, it must be getting quite serious.”

“Uh…I,” He couldn’t help tripping over his words. They were supposed to be seeing how things went and, well, he was still waiting to see. It felt pretty serious to him and he wasn’t planning to go anywhere but he’d just put his foot in it once, he wasn’t about to do it again and say yes only for Merlin to let them all know it was just a fling to him. “Well-“

“Oh, I don’t know about that. Still fairly early days, isn’t it?” Merlin jumping in to answer didn’t feel quite so much like saving him that time.

* * *

Merlin rolled his eyes fondly as Harry’s brother approached them, smirk in place. “Hello, Hamish. Lovely to see you, as always. Who’s your guest?”

“Come on, Michael. I love your family but you’re the most awful gossips. Let’s not pretend that you didn’t know who Eggsy was before we arrived and that your parents haven’t relayed everything they’ve found out since.” He knew theirs would be the name’s on everyone’s lips and he was more than happy to have Eggsy on his arm but he was getting tired of the false ignorance, no matter how well-meaning. So no, he wouldn’t introduce Eggsy to anyone else, everyone in the room already knew who he was, but he should let Eggsy know who’s who. “Eggsy, this is Harry’s brother, Michael.”

“A pleasure to meet you, Eggsy.” Eggsy answered politely, as ever, and Micheal gave Merlin a playful shove with his elbow. “So, might we see him make an honest man of you?”

An honest man? He wasn’t sure he’d ever be that. But a married one? If only. Still, a quick glance at Eggsy saw the younger man not even looking at him and looking utterly humiliated at the suggestion. The idea wasn’t worth entertaining, he supposed, although he’d entertained it in his head several times. “I’m not sure that’s really on the cards for us. I suppose time will tell.”

Another man greeted Merlin with a clap on the shoulder — similar enough in looks to Harry to assume they were related but he wasn’t quite sure who he was. “Hello, Hamish. Lovely to see you, as always. Who’s your guest?”

“Come on, Michael. I love your family but you’re the most awful gossips. Let’s not pretend that you didn’t know who Eggsy was before we arrived and that your parents haven’t relayed everything they’ve found out since.” Michael smiled the same wicked little thing that was apparently a family trait. Apparently Merlin wasn’t joking when he said they’d be the talk of the entire family. “Eggsy, this is Harry’s brother, Michael.”

“A pleasure to meet you, Eggsy.” He did his best to stay calm and friendly but honestly, it was a bit overwhelming. When his job was so often to blend in, to have all eyes on him in a room of people he didn’t know felt strange and a little uncomfortable. Micheal seemed to quickly get back to teasing Merlin, though. “So, might we see him make an honest man of you?”

Eggsy’s cheeks flamed as he dipped his gaze. He’d already had Merlin brush off enough suggestions of commitment, he didn’t need to look him in the eye for another. Sure, it was unrealistic to expect a ring on his finger less than six months in but the possibility of it in the future wasn’t so terrible, was it? Merlin hesitated for a moment. Perhaps he thought it was. “I’m not sure that’s really on the cards for us. I suppose time will tell.”

* * *

“Congratulations.” Cousins had started in on the needling now, swept him quite successfully away from Eggsy, all knowing looks and giddy little smiles. “You’ve found yourself quite the catch.”

“I have indeed.” And he may wriggle off the hook any day but they were having a good time and he’d enjoy it until that happened, if it did.

“He’s very handsome.”

“He is.” He sent a quick glance Eggsy’s way, looked just for a couple of seconds at him smiling warmly and shaking hands with a few more people. He knew he’d be doing his best to remember everyone’s names and everything he could about them, genuinely caring about each person he met despite the abundance of new faces. He couldn’t keep the smile from his lips. Found he couldn’t wait to have his arm back around his waist. Perhaps he was showing his hand a little too much but Eggsy was more than a pretty face and he’d have them know it. “The only thing lovelier than his face is his heart.”

It wasn’t long before he was stole away from Merlin by Harry’s aunt. Away from either of the only two people he knew, away from the comfort of Merlin’s hand on the small of his back and his conversational crutch to stop him embarrassing himself, Merlin or Harry. Certainly not away from speculation of their relationship, though. “Hamish is such a lovely young man. It’s nice to see him with someone special.”

“Yeah, he is.” Eggsy grinned at him where he was chatting away to some of Harry’s relatives on the other side of the room, all of his charm on full display. It was nice to be that someone special. “Not sure he’d say the same about me but I’m lucky to have him.”

“Oh, I’m sure he would. You seem perfectly lovely yourself.” Eggsy blushed but graciously accepted the compliment. He hoped she was right.

* * *

He’d largely tried to avoid the earbashing he’d get for keeping his relationship with Eggsy a secret but it was only a matter of time before he was left alone with Harry. “So, months you’ve been seeing each other?”

“Yes. We decided to keep it to ourselves until we know where it’s going.”

“I cannot believe neither of you told me.” Harry wasn’t actually hurt, he could tell. Just surprised there was a secret that he wasn’t in on, he supposed. One that has been kept quiet for a while. “And where is it going?”

Merlin sighed softly to himself. That was the million-pound question. “I think if you ask Eggsy, nowhere beyond my bedroom.”

“I’m not asking Eggsy, I’m asking you.” The teasing was gone from Harry’s voice, exchanged for genuine curiosity and maybe a touch of concern.

Merlin breathed a laugh as he watched Eggsy talking animatedly to Harry’s niece and realised just how sunk he was. “The sky’s the limit.”

“It’s very interesting.”

Merlin allowed his attention to be taken away from Eggsy to Harry staring curiously at him instead. He eyed him suspiciously. “What?”

“Seeing you in love. It suits you.” He didn’t deny it. There was no point, Harry knew him better than anyone. He simply nodded instead.

Harry joined Eggsy by the drinks table, almost made him jump in distraction from what he was sure could only be described as mooning over Merlin. “I must say, I’m not quite sure now how I missed it.”

“Missed what?”

“That you love him. It’s written all over your face.” Eggsy blushed and swallowed hard. He hadn’t meant to make it so obvious. He hoped it was only how well Harry knew him that allowed him to see it. “Does he know?”

Eggsy shook his head. He hoped not. If he did, the whole afternoon would be utterly humiliating. “I haven’t told him. It’s not like he feels the same, is it? Been making that pretty clear all afternoon.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure of that.”

“I’m pretty sure. Doesn’t mean he won’t but I might never find out if I tell him too soon. We’re having a good time anyway, why rock the boat?”

“You might never find out that he does if you don’t tell him at all.” He could hope that Harry knew something he didn’t but just as likely seemed that he was trying to make him feel better.

* * *

He was pleased for the earliest opportunity to be able to hold Eggsy close again. He stole a kiss, laced with Prosecco though the younger man’s lips were, and wondered whether the smile Eggsy wore was out of real pleasure to see him or simply relief to see someone he knew. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

“I didn’t mean to leave you alone, I’m sorry.” He’d sworn to himself before they arrived that he wouldn’t leave Eggsy’s side but they’d each been pulled from pillar to post and it was somewhat unavoidable.

“Don’t worry about it.” Eggsy didn’t look upset so he figured no harm had been done but he resolved to stay close for the rest of the evening regardless.

Merlin’s arm around his waist was a welcome warmth, as was the kiss he pressed to his lips. The part of him that wanted to protect himself told him Merlin’s affectionate smile was a combination of the constant flow of alcohol and a desire to keep up appearances; the hopeful, romantic part of his brain told him it was that Merlin missed him as much in the last hour as he’d been missed. “Are you okay?”

It was sweet of him to ask but then he’d always been a gentleman, of course he didn’t want his date to be uncomfortable. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“I didn’t mean to leave you alone, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Yeah, he’d been nervous to meet everyone and he’d be shattered by the end of the night — already was a little bit, actually — but they’d all been so nice, he’d been more than fine alone.

* * *

The introductions seemed endless but the answers to the big questions seemed to have spread enough to spare them too many more awkward moments. Even so, Merlin stuck close to him, an arm around his waist or a hand on the small of his back, little touches meant to comfort. They caught each other’s little glances here and there but Eggsy never quite returned his smiles, at least not in a way that reached his eyes. When they finally got a moment to themselves again, Merlin rubbed a hand down his back. “Are you okay?”

Eggsy smiled weakly at him and nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Are you sure? You look…pensive.”

Eggsy licked his lips as he looked around them. “Actually, maybe we should find somewhere to talk.” Merlin nodded silently, concern furrowing his brow, and led him out by the hand along a quiet hallway and into the empty library. “I think maybe I shouldn’t have come. Maybe I should go. I should’ve known you didn’t really want me here. And why. I’m sorry.”

“And why would that be?”

“Because of course you wouldn’t want to introduce your...lover to your best friend’s family and have to put on a front all day.”

Merlin tilted his head, frown still in place. “Lovers? Is that what we are?”

Eggsy shrugged. “What else are we?”

“Well...I hoped maybe partners? Boyfriends? Not one step up from friends with benefits.”

“What?”

“Eggsy, you spend four nights a week at my flat. We’ve been on a million dates. We spent some of Christmas together. I’m doing the closest I can to introducing you to my family. They’re not the kind of things you do with someone you’re just shagging.”

“But—“ Eggsy stared at him, stunned, lost for words for a moment. “But you didn’t want me to come. You shot down Harry’s mum even suggesting love. You basically told his brother you couldn’t imagine marrying me. You told them it was nothing serious. You didn’t even want Harry to know about us.”

Merlin hummed to himself and nodded. “I didn’t want him to know or for any of them to know how seriously I feel about you because I don’t want to deal with the humiliation of them all knowing how heartbroken I am when you decide to move on. And I didn’t want you to have to pretend to feel something that you don’t.”

“But I do.”

“I’m sorry?”

“I love you.” All hesitation was gone, Merlin’s willing vulnerability giving him all he needed to confess his feelings.

“But...you looked horrified whenever anyone mentioned love or marriage. You looked like you wanted the ground to swallow you up at the suggestion that this might be something serious. I’ve seen how easily you talk to everyone and I’ve seen how uncomfortable you get when they ask about us.”

“Yeah, because I though _you_ didn’t want _me_.” Eggsy laughed softly at the absurdity of it, that they’d each been so afraid of the other not reciprocating. “I want all of that, I was just embarrassed because I knew - or I thought I knew - you didn’t. I didn’t know whether to tell you yet, I thought maybe it was still too soon.”

Merlin shook his head fondly as he gazed at Eggsy. “We’ve been fools.” He rested his hands on Eggsy’s hips and kissed him slow and sweet. “We’ve both wanted the same thing all along. I love you too.”

“So you really wanted me here? Because this morning you were—“

“I was hungover. I was barely coherent. And I was scared that bringing you here would be too much and scare you off. I was worried that Harry making you come would ruin what we have. I care about all of those people and they care about me. Of course I wanted you to come and to show everyone what a wonderful man I’ve found, I just didn’t want to push you into anything because we haven’t talked about what we are or where we’re going or—”

“So let’s talk about it now.”

“Okay.” Merlin took a breath but the look in his eyes left no doubt. “Then I’m head over heels in love with you, I want to be with you as your partner or your boyfriend or whatever you want to call me, and I’m happy for anyone and everyone to know it.”

“Me too.” Eggsy grinned the widest grin he’d ever seen and tiptoed up to kiss him. “Looks like I got a proper boyfriend for Christmas.”

“I’m for life, not just for Christmas.”

“For life, yeah?”

Merlin’s cheeks warmed as he realised what he’d said but he refused to take it back. He gave a small shrug. “If you like.” Eggsy pulled him into another kiss. “Do you still want to go home? We can leave if you’ve had enough.”

“No. I wanna show off my boyfriend.” And show him off, he did. After a few more quick kisses, they strode back out to join the party hand in hand and grins in place.

Harry eyed them suspiciously the minute they walked in. “What’s gotten into you two?”

“We just had a good talk.”

“I hope talking is all you were doing.”

“Oh, grow up, Harry.” Merlin rolled his eyes and made sure not to let them be separated again as they sat for a huge Boxing Day dinner.

Eggsy didn’t try to hide how nice it felt to have Merlin’s arms around his shoulders while they sipped tea afterwards. He happily let Merlin kiss his pout away when they pulled crackers and Merlin won. He threw his arms around Merlin’s neck when Harry managed to situate them under some mistletoe and grinned into the kiss they shared.

Merlin didn’t argue when Eggsy insisted on putting a paper crown on his head. He held Eggsy close on his lap when Barbara insisted they all sing Christmas carols. He did nothing to disguise his adoration when they joined Harry and his brother, father and uncle for whiskey and Eggsy sat with his head on Merlin’s shoulder.

Harry’s uncle nodded towards them. “Young love, hm?”

“Well, only one of us is still young, but yeah.” Eggsy grinned up at him and Merlin caught his lips in a kiss. “Happy Christmas, darling.”

“Happy Christmas, love.”


End file.
